The Hunt for the Perfect Storm
by Jen Stevens
Summary: A class of British geography students travel to Oklahoma to meet some storm chasers and learn more about how Tornadoes work. ABANDONED DUE TO LACK OF INTEREST
1. School Time

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Disclaimer: I own the characters Mr Smith, Kirsty, Beth, Fay, Stephanie, Laura, David, Jill, Rosie (golden retriever dog), Rachel, Miss Whitehouse, Miss Williams, Paul and Daniel. All other characters belong to their respective owners. I am just playing with them.

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Author's note: The idea for this story came from watching the film "Twister". It is my first fic so please be kind. There are no X-men characters in this first chapter (they come later in the story). So please read, enjoy and review. I accept constructive criticism. It helps me improve.

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The Hunt for the Perfect Storm

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Chapter 1: Schooltime

It was 9 o Clock in Birmingham, England. At a small high school on the northern edge of town, all of the pupils were getting ready for their first lesson. For Kirsty and a group of about 15 others, this lesson was geography. The pupils waited patiently outside the classroom for their teacher to arrive.  
  
Once inside the classroom the pupils settled down into their places and got out their pens and notepads. Everybody added the date to the top of the first clean page in their books.  
  
"Today," came the thundering voice of their teacher, Mr Smith, "we are going to be studying tornados. To start I would like you to have a go at this small quiz I have prepared, to see how much you already know, then," he continued after taking in a deep breath, "we will look at their formation and some other minor details. Finally we watch a video and talk about the instruments used to measure tornados."  
  
Mr Smith waited for a brief moment before continuing, "So now I would like you to have a go at these questions under exam conditions." Mr Smith pointed at the piece of paper with the questions on.  
  
The pupils do as instructed and once they have finished they hand in their question papers to be marked. Kirsty is the first to finish so she secretly plays with her mobile phone (which is not supposed to be allowed in class) while the rest of class finish answering the questions. As soon as everyone has finished and the question papers have been handed in, the pupils leave the classroom for break time. Whilst the class is having break, Mr Smith marks the papers.  
  
Kirsty and her friends, Beth, Fay and Stephanie walk through the school corridors munching on their crisps.

  
"That test was hard," complains Fay. Stephanie and Beth nod in agreement.

  
"It was easy," Kirsty tries to convince them.

  
"Glad you thought so," the others reply together, "If it was so easy then how come we couldn't answer any?"

  
"Because you know zilch about tornados," Kirsty adds a few seconds later.

  
They walk back to class in silence.  
  
Back in the classroom Mr Smith is busy handing out the marked papers. "Good effort Laura," he praises a small dark haired girl sitting in the corner of the room.  
  
When Kirsty and her friends get their papers back they compare them against each other. "98%! How'd ya manage that Kirst?" Questions Beth, "I only got 33%!"

  
"You'll learn," teases Kirsty, "and besides 33% is good for a beginner," she adds reassuringly.

  
"Who got 98%?" Asks a surprised voice from behind them.

  
"Kirsty did," replies Stephanie.

  
"How'd ya manage that Kirst?" Asks David.  
  
"Settle down class," came Mr Smiths thundering voice.

  
He draws a diagram on the board with the title 'The Formation of a Tornado', and instructs the class to copy it and to make notes from the textbooks they had just been given. Whilst the pupils work, Mr Smith explains how tornados are formed and uses an example of a large tornado that stuck Kansas City a few years ago to make his explanation more clear.  
  
When everyone had finished writing and had replaced their pens on their desks, Mr Smith asks, "Now who can tell me something about the scale used to measure a tornado?"

  
Everyone in the class sat it silence looking uncomfortable and willing not to be asked to answer the question. "Anyone?" Asks Mr Smith, "anyone at all?"  
After a few more seconds of silence, Kirsty slowly raises her hand. "Kirsty!"   
Everyone looks relieved when Kirsty decides to answer the question.

  
"A tornado is measured by the Fugita Scale, which was invented by Ted Fugita, it measures the intensity of a tornado by how much it eats; destroys," she corrects herself, "wind speeds of less than 72 miles per hour in a tornado are known as F0, and Tornados of wind speeds of greater than 256 miles per hour, are known as F5."

  
"Brilliant work Kirsty," praises Mr Smith.  
  
Mr Smith continues his lecture on tornados and plays the video he spoke about. Pretty soon it is the end of class and the pupils pack up to go to their next lessons.  
  
At the end of the day Kirsty, Beth, Fay and Stephanie walk home together. "Do any of you guys wanna come to my house tonight?" Asks Stephanie.

  
" Yeah ok," reply Fay and Beth.

  
"How about you Kirst?"

  
"Sorry, not tonight huh Steph, I'm busy, another day maybe," answers Kirsty.

  
"Ok then."  
  
Fay, Beth and Stephanie all head towards Stephanie's house, and Kirsty goes the other way, towards her own house.  
  
When she gets in Kirsty drops her bag in the hallway, hangs up her coat and dashes up the stairs to her room shouting "going on the net Gill."

  
"Ok," comes a voice from outside somewhere, presumably the garden.  
  
Kirsty switches on her computer in her room, and logs on to the Internet. She types in the characters _'http://www.twisterstormchasingcrew.com'_. She then clicks on a link labelled 'Dorothy project' and starts to read the information on screen. When she has read the whole page of information she goes to her email inbox to check her email. She has one message which reads:  
  
**'Hi Kirst,  
Jo here. How ya doing? R u coming back soon? We haven't had much going on here yet. Too early in the season I suppose. We had a ball lightning shower yesterday. NSSL predicts some good storms next week, maybe even some twisters. Anyway email me back soon ok, and Aunt Meg says to say she is missing you.  
Bye'  
**  
  
Kirsty replies to the email and then also sends a message to Stephanie asking if they had any homework. Stephanie who was showing Laura and Beth her new computer that she had for her birthday got the message straight away and answered with a big 'NO'. Suppose I'll have to start listening more in class, Kirsty thinks to herself. She thanks Stephanie and logs off to go for her tea. After tea she takes her pet golden retriever Rosie out for a walk in the park. When she gets back she showers, does all her other chores, prepares her school things for the next day and then settles down in front of the TV with a box of popcorn and a can of soda. Later that night she switches the TV off and heads to bed.

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A.N: well what did you think? Please R & R. More to come soon if you like it.


	2. Twister Hits England

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The Hunt for the Perfect Storm

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Chapter 2: Twister Hits England

The next day at school the pupils are gathered in the corridor again waiting for their lesson to begin. "Kirsty," Beth begins, "you know that test we did yesterday, what was the reason you got 98%. I mean you never really told us and it's been bugging me all night."

"Your not still on about that are you?" Kirsty questions, "I told you, the reason I got 98% and you didn't is because I…I… spent a lot of time studying tornadoes; that's why."

Beth was not convinced and shrugged her shoulders. "Ok, ok," said Kirsty "If you must know I… I grew up around a meteorologist."

"Oh!" Beth replied, still not seeming overly convinced.

Mr Smith arrived and they all went into class and settled down into their places. At the front of the classroom was a television and video on a movable unit. "Looks like we're gonna watch a video today, hey guys," comments Stephanie.

"I think you may be right Steph," replies Fay.

"Ok class, settle down please," came Mr Smiths powerful voice, "we are going to continue our work from yesterday, and to start with we are going to watch this video I was talking about, so can you all please have a pen and paper ready to write notes while watching."

Everybody got a pen and pad out of their bags and settled back down ready to watch the video. Mr Smith pressed the 'play' button on the remote and the TV sprung to life.

During the video the students were frantically scribbling on pieces of paper, as many note as they could. Kirsty on the other hand, wrote only a few very complicated notes and when questioned about it by Rachel, a small, quiet redhead who sat on the table behind her, Kirsty insisted that she had seen the video before and so didn't need the notes.

Just as the video finished the sky went mysteriously dark and the wind picked up. Kirsty got up out of her seat and looked out of the window. The sky had a green tint to it. She ran over to the teacher who was researching some information on his laptop. "Sir can you go to the met office site please I want to check out the current weather conditions." Kirsty begged.

Mr Smith did as he was asked. It wasn't a habit of his to take orders from his students but this time he sensed the genuine concern. "Damn," said Kirsty, "get everyone underground now," she called as she dashed down the stairs and outside carrying a mini video camera in her hands. 

She tied herself to the fence and started recording the sight she saw. A mini tornado was ripping its way down the street uprooting small trees and making anything that wasn't secured to the ground fly up into the air. Then she saw someone walking towards the school. "Look out," she called. 

The tornado was right behind the person and she was just about to be sucked up into the funnel. Kirsty quickly untied herself and ran towards the person leaping and knocking her out of the storms path.

"Like, thanks," said the rescued girl as soon as the immediate danger had passed.

"No problem," responded Kirsty.

"My name's Kitty. I'm like, new here," said the girl who was desperately trying to catch her breath from the fear of being sucked up into the storm.

"Nice to meet you," replied Kirsty, "my name's Kirsty. Welcome to this school. Where are you from exactly?"

" I'm like from a town called Bayville."

"Bayville?" questioned Kirsty, "that's in New York right? Near Lloyd Harbor?"

"Yes that's right. You like, know it?"

"Ok class everybody back inside now," thundered Mr Smith.

The class all made their way back up the stairs and into the classroom. "Yes I know Bayville. I was born there," whispered Kirsty on the way back up to the classroom. She would have spoken louder but Mr Smith didn't seem in too good of a mood and she didn't want to get shouted at. When back inside the classroom Kitty sat by Rachel on the desk behind Kirsty.

Mr Smith walked around the class handing out large brown envelopes to everybody. "These," he said motioning to the envelopes remaining in his hand, "are letters to your parents. They are permission slips to let you go on a class trip. So please get them filled in and handed back to me by the end of the week at the latest. You will only be going if the slips are returned to me, completed, no later than this Friday. Understand?"

"Yes Sir," answered the class.

The lesson soon ended and everybody gathered up their belonging and made their way out of class. "So," stared Beth, "You guys think you'll be allowed to go on this trip?"

"Depends on when it is, and where," answered Kirsty.

"Can I like, walk with you guys?" asks Kitty coming up beside Kirsty and her friends. 

"Sure," they all reply together.

The girls all make their way out of the school gates towards their homes. "You guys coming shopping?" asked Fay.

"Yeah why not?" answered Kirsty, Stephanie, Beth, Laura and Rachel together.

"Want to join us Kitty?" asks Fay, realizing she hadn't said any think much yet.

"Yeah, like can I really?"

"Of course you can if you want to Kitty."

The girls all walked to the supermarket. They shopped for 2 hours or more and bought lots of clothes and stuff. "This will look like, great on you Kirst, what d'ya think guys?" said Kitty getting into the spirit of things. "I like, so love shopping. I go shopping like every couple of days back home."

"Why did you come here anyway," asks Rachel, "I mean if you like your home so much, why leave?"

"Well I was like gonna stay, but I, like thought it'd be fun to come for a few weeks and see if it's nice here y'know?" answered Kitty, "I'm like going back soon anyway. This was just like a vacation. I might go on this trip though. You like think it'll be fun?"

"Lets hope so," said Laura.

"Yeah well if Mr Smiths involved you can pretty much guarantee it's not gonna be much fun," commented Kirsty, "unless we do something to change it of course."

"Like what?" asked the others.

"A few practical jokes or something," replied Kirsty.

With that the girls all headed home with their newly bought packages and lots of full shopping bags.

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Authors note: hope your enjoying this. Originally it wasn't going to have anything to do with the x-men, but I've been watching too much TV and reading too many of your lovely stories lately so when I needed a new character I came up with Kitty from the x-men. I have a lot more chapters planned but I haven't got too far with them yet. I hope too have more soon. Anyway please r &r. This is my first fic so please be nice. Constructive criticism welcome. It will help me improve.


	3. School Trip

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The Hunt for the Perfect Storm

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Chapter 3: School Trip.

A few days later in school preparations were being made for the trip. Most of the permission slips were now in and only a few people were going. Mr Smith had separated the class into two parts. At one side of the room was the students who were going on the trip, and on the other side of the room the people who weren't going were looking at what work they were going to do why the others were away.

The trip was a bit of a holiday for the ones that were going really. They were going to stay in Oklahoma with some storm chasers to find out more about severe storms. "Ok class," started Mr Smith, I'm just going to do a quick check of who is and isn't going on this trip. Ok. Kirsty, Beth, Fay, Rachel, Laura, Stephanie, Kitty, David, Paul and Daniel; you are all going on the trip am I right? And the rest of you aren't going."

"Yes Sir," the relevant people replied.

"Good, Miss Whitehouse will be accompanying us on the trip and miss Williams will take the classes for those of you that are staying behind. So don't get any ideas about skiving or anything you lot."

"A lot of groans were heard from the class. "That just sucks," said somebody, "just because we ain't going on the trip we gotta work while those goody-two-shoes get to mess about and have an holiday abroad. It's just not fair."

The day of the trip drew nearer. When it finally came the pupils were really excited. "I am like so excited about tomorrow," sad Kitty over the Internet.

"Me too," replied Kirsty.

The two had become quite close friends over the short time since they'd met. They spent lots of time shopping, studying together and even chatting on the Internet with each other at night. Kitty told Kirsty all about her past at the Xavier institute. She deliberately left out the part of her being able to phase through walls and the other mutants powers. She wasn't sure Kirsty would understand that just yet.

The morning of the trip arrived and the people going all met by the school mini-bus. Mr Smith did a quick register to make sure everyone was present before they set off. "Kirsty?"

"Yes Sir,"

"Beth?"

"Yes Sir,"

"Fay?"

"Yes Sir,"

With the register complete they all jumped into the bus and headed towards Birmingham International Airport. It took them approximately an hour to get there. Once inside they checked in and went to the waiting room to wait for their flight to be called. Two hours later and there flight was boarding. "Flight 695 to Oklahoma City now boarding, flight 695 to Oklahoma City," rang the intercom system. 

The class hurried to board the flight. The flight was 6 hours long so the class got comfortable and chatted between themselves. Kitty told Kirsty about how on her last flight Evan was airsick. "I kinda like flying," said Kirsty.

"Like, me too, a bit," admitted Kitty.

Six hours later and they finally arrived in Oklahoma City. From there the class jumped into a rented mini-bus and navigated the dust roads of Oklahoma to find the Farm where they would meet the storm chasers.

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Authors note: hope your enjoying this. Originally it wasn't going to have anything to do with the x-men, but I've been watching too much TV and reading too many of your lovely stories lately so when I needed a new character I came up with Kitty from the x-men. I have a lot more chapters planned but I haven't got too far with them yet. I hope too have more soon. Anyway please r &r. This is my first fic so please be nice. Constructive criticism welcome. It will help me improve.


	4. Meet The Stormchasers

**The Hunt for the Perfect Storm**

**Chapter 4: Meet the Stormchasers.**

      "Are we like almost there yet," asks Kitty.

      "Not much longer now," answers Miss Whitehouse keeping her eyes on the roadmap she was looking at.  

      "At the next junction take a left turn," she said to Mr Smith who was driving the minibus.

      They continued traveling down the road for several more minutes before Mr Smith said, "I can't find that turning are you sure we're on the right road?"

      "Certain," replied Miss Whitehouse; "I don't get it! We should have found it by now."

      Kirsty, who was sitting next to Kitty, behind Miss Whitehouse's seat, was looking out of the window.  "I know this road, I'm sure of it," mumbled Kirsty to nobody in particular; "it's near Jo's farm."

      "Like whose Jo?" Kitty questioned.

      "I didn't know anyone was listening to me," sighed Kirsty; "Jo's a close friend of mine."

      "I think we're lost," said Miss Whitehouse quietly, hoping the students wouldn't hear her concerns.

      Kirsty peered over Miss Whitehouse's shoulder at the map she was holding.

      "Where are you trying to get Miss?" She asks recognizing the map to be a long road in Oklahoma, near to her friends' farm.

      "We need to find the field on this farm," answered Miss Whitehouse pointing to the location on the map.

      Kirsty instantly recognized where they were heading and started giving directions to the teachers.

      "Follow this road until you see a small left turn.  It should be just around this bend," instructed Kirsty.

      Mr Smith followed the instructions and soon found the junction.  

"Ok," praised Kirsty, "now down here on the right should be a dirt track.  Go down it and follow it until you see the barn in the far field."

Mr Smith carefully drove the minibus down the road looking for the dirt track.  "There it is," pointed out Kitty.  It was partially hidden by thick bushes that bordered it on either side.

Mr Smith pulled onto the dirt track and after a few minutes drove into a large field.  In the field were about 12 people scatted about, most near the trucks that were parked there.  Near what looked to be a big red barn, was a selection of technical looking equipment.  Mr Smith pulled up near to the trucks and cut the minibus engine.  He told everyone to stay in their seats before he got up out of the minibus and approached one of the people near the trucks.  He shook hands with the person and then walked back to the minibus.  "Ok, everybody out," he ordered.

Everybody grabbed their stuff and jumped out of the bus.  They gathered on the grass and awaited further instructions.

The person Mr Smith was previously speaking to approached the group.  "Hello! I'm Jo," she introduced herself.

On the road that Kirsty and her classmates had just exited, was a bright red truck with two people inside; a man with chestnut colored hair and a woman with darker curly hair; heading directly towards them.

Back in the field Mr Smith introduced all of the people in the field; then the students introduced themselves.  After all introductions were made Mr Smith explained what they would be doing over the next few days and everybody then got settled into performing some simple tasks and learning about what the equipment is for and how to use it.


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